As the Puck Turns

When Vancouver Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo went down in pain during a game with the Calgary Flames it was the only time a whole City held its breath, other than Hamilton.

The Edmonton Oilers extended GM Kevin Lowe’s contract by 4 years. A spokesperson with the Oilers said they didn’t want to chance losing him to restricted free agency. Asked to comment Anaheim Ducks GM Brian Burke felt 4 years was an adequate sentence for the theft of Dustin Penner.

Watching my beloved Chicago Cubs lose in straight games to the Arizona Diamondbacks reminds me that life is short but the off season is long. I still blame Steve Bartman for the loss.

I thought Mike Keenan of the Calgary Flames was taking the losses by his team well until a close up of him on the bench showed him chewing rocks instead of his usual ice.

Seeing the Colorado Rockies win their playoff with Philadelphia Phillies reminds me it is time to get out the snow shovel. After seeing how the players for the Phillies were crucified in the media maybe it is time to re-think Philadelphia as the City of Brotherly Love.

Now that it is confirmed Marion Jones used steroids for the Olympics isn’t it time the US Olympic Organization came clean about the clear? I can’t help it but from now on every time I see a 6’ 300 lb16 year old US female sprinter it is going to raise doubts in my mind.

As a silent nod to the growing problem of steroid induced violence in the NFL league officials are now going to allow clubs to carry an extra stretcher team in each game.

Why is it each new season of hockey the announcers come up with a new word they like to overuse? Last year it was the “half boards” and now this year it is “a good stick”. Maybe I’ll beat them to it and coin next year’s word early it will be “a good tongue”.

It took me a while to figure out why NFL players are putting tight elastics around their forearms and then I realized it is always easier to find a vein if you tie it off.

Houston Texan Travis Johnson says he was sorry he taunted an unconscious Travis Green of the Miami Dolphins but in his defense who likes to be blocked by a quarterback? After seeing Johnson gloat over the fallen Green it was tough to tell who had the head injury. Travis Green has a Grade 3 concussion which means he definitely isn’t smarter than a 5th grader.

The speculation as to what Alex Rodriguez would command in free agency is staggering. One GM on condition of anonymity says his opening bid would be Brazil. A-Rod says he needs advice if were to opt out of his contract and has contacted the wife of Chris Pronger.

Wouldn’t it be ironic if the NY Yankees lost Mariano Rivera because they couldn’t close the deal?

First the player they trade for is convicted of drunk driving, then a player they were counting on has groin surgery and now a free agent signing has cancer. If just one Toronto Maple Leaf comes out of the closet this year it would be the makings of a great soap opera. There is some hope in the news free agent signing Jason Blake has been diagnosed with cancer. Usually the signings of the Leafs turn out to be a cancer on the whole team.

Tennis World #18 seed Andy Murray says he believes tennis matches may be fixed. He cited his own 2006 match against Roger Federer saying “there is no way I can beat that guy”.

100 LSU fans were upset after buying counterfeit tickets for a game against Florida. The only people more upset were USC fans who bought real tickets for the game against Stanford.

Reigning Formula One champion Fernando Alonso has been questioned by prosecutors in the Ferrari spy scandal. Prosecutors became suspicious when he was seen swapping video techniques with New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick.

Wayne Gretzkey and his wife Janet will be selling off household items to raise money for a planned baseball diamond at a Phoenix school. Wayne will sell off autographed jerseys and memorabilia and Janet will give the kids tips for betting on Week 6 in the NFL.